VT Digger: VERMONT HOMELESS COUNT UP BY 11 PERCENT

More than 1,200 Vermonters including more than 300 children were homeless on January 24, according to the latest annual report designed to measure homelessness.

The annual Point-In-Time Count Report, released Tuesday, showed 1,225 homeless Vermonters, an increase of 11 percent over 2016. There were 306 homeless children, representing 25 percent of the total.

More than one-quarter, or 340 people, reported having a severe mental health disorder, and 228, or 19 percent, reported having a substance abuse disorder, according to the report.

Nearly one-quarter, or 267 people, said they were domestic violence survivors. That number, which does not include children, represents an increase of 40 homeless domestic violence survivors since the 2016 report.

Additionally, 15 percent, or 94 people, were veterans, according to the report. That number has been consistently declining since it peaked at 128 in 2013, according to the report.